In the last few weeks we’ve seen China buy a 17 percent stake in WA resource company Fortescue Minerals , and a 30 billion dollar share of Rio Tinto. Their bid to buy into Ozminerals has been knocked back on security grounds but that could change. What is China up to ? Paul Monk is a China-watcher and author of the book – Thunder from the Silent Zone – Rethinking China. He says China is indeed out there increasing its stake in the world and more attention should be being paid to the ties Australia is setting up with a country that remains a dictatorship.